Hyperspectral imaging combined with machine learning as a tool to obtain high-throughput plant salt-stress phenotyping.

The rapid selection of salinity-tolerant crops to increase food production in salinized lands is important for sustainable agriculture. Recently, high-throughput plant phenotyping technologies have been adopted that use plant morphological and physiological measurements in a non-destructive manner to accelerate plant breeding processes. Here, a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technique was implemented to monitor the plant phenotypes of 13 okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.

Percutaneous kyphoplasty treatment evaluation for patients with Kümmell disease based on a two-year follow-up.

Percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) has been used in Kümmell disease treatment for years. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PKP in the treatment of patients with Kümmell disease and to explore the association between cement injection volume and pain relief. A total of 50 patients were enrolled in the present study and follow-up was 2 years.

Synergistic effect of cytokines EPO, IL-3 and SCF on the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of erythroid progenitor cells.

Erythroblasts were obtained from murine spleen. After cultured for 12 hr, the cells were divided into four groups with the use of the following cytokines in culture: EPO, EPO+SCF, EPO+IL-3, and EPO+IL-3+SCF. Cell proliferation assay was done.

Effects of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib on gene expression profiles of pancreatic cancer cells.

Background: Pancreatic cancer remains a highly chemoresistant malignancy. Gemcitabine is a widely used clinical chemotherapeutic agent against locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer. Proteasome inhibitor bortezomib has been shown to result in enhanced cytotoxicity and apoptosis when used alone or in combination with gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cell lines.

Risk factors for infectious morbidity in gallbladder cancer patients treated surgically.

Background/aims: To explore risk factors associated with postoperative infectious morbidity in gallbladder cancer patients.

Methodology: We investigated 58 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for primary gallbladder cancer between January 2000 and June 2005 in our hospital. Records of all patients were retrospectively reviewed.

Effects of TFAR19 gene on the in vivo biorheological properties and pathogenicity of mouse erythroleukemia cell line MEL.

After injecting VP16, MEL cells and MEL-TF19 cells into the body of mice, with those injected with the same dose of saline as the control group, we observed the mice for their blood pictures, histological changes of the liver and spleen, and the hemorheological indexes within 4 weeks. The results indicated that after injecting MEL cells, the mice entered into a pathological status similar to erythroleukemia, which had the following exhibitions: the tissue structures of the liver and spleen were damaged, a mass of proerythroblasts, basophil erythroblasts and polychromatophilic erythroblasts could be observed on the smears of the bone marrow and spleen, and the deformability and orientation ability of erythrocytes were both depressed. The pathogenicity of MEL-TF19 cells carrying TFAR19 gene was obviously lower than that of MEL cells, and the MEL-TF19 cells even lost their faintish pathogenicity under the apoptosis-inducing effect of the chemotherapeutic reagent.

The measurement of shear modulus and membrane surface viscosity of RBC membrane with Ektacytometry: a new technique.

A new technique is proposed to estimate the shear modulus (mu) and membrane surface viscosity (eta(m)) of red blood cell (RBC). Theoretical formulae for finding these two parameters are first derived based on the force balance on a RBC in a flow field of low viscosity. Different types of Ektacytometry are then used to measure relevant quantities.

Inhibition of platelet aggregation by polyaspartoyl L-arginine and its mechanism.

Aim: To observe the oral anti-platelet efficacy and the potential action mechanism of polyaspartoyl L-arginine (PDR), a new L-arginine rich compound.

Methods: Platelet aggregation was conducted by Born's method; bleeding time was determined using tail's bleeding time in mice; platelet adhesion was carried out with glass bottle method; nitric oxide (NO) was tested with Griess's method; and cAMP, thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)) and 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha ) were assessed with commercial kits.

Results: The inhibition by PDR (15-60 mg/kg i.